


don’t you ever wonder how we survive?

by bottomoftheheap



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Grand Theft Auto Setting, Angst, Brief Depictions of Violence, F/F, F/M, FAHC, Fake AH Crew, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-02
Updated: 2020-02-19
Packaged: 2020-04-06 18:27:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19068196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bottomoftheheap/pseuds/bottomoftheheap
Summary: Ryan didn’t come home last night.The thought plays over and over in your mind, like a broken record.Ryan didn’t come home last night.Ryan didn’t come home last night.Ryan didn’t come home last night.You call him for what feels like the millionth time.He doesn’t answer.(chapter 3 is just a short note regarding the next update!)





	1. tu me manques

**Author's Note:**

> i’ve been sitting on this fic idea for almost three years and have finally found the inspiration for it!  
> as of right now, i don’t have an update schedule or anything, i work best without deadlines, but know you can expect another update within the next couple of weeks!
> 
> title from the song Monster by Paramore

_Ryan didn’t come home last night._

The thought plays over and over in your mind, like a broken record.

_Ryan didn’t come home last night._   
_Ryan didn’t come home last night._   
_Ryan didn’t come home last night._

You call him for what feels like the millionth time.   
He doesn’t answer.

——————————————————

It’s been four days.   
Ryan still hasn’t come home.   
You can’t sleep or eat, as you stay plastered to the chair in the living room, desperately hoping to see him waltz through the door at any moment.   
You call his cell phone again, eyes blurry with tears.  
His voicemail box is full.

——————————————————

A week has passed. Your eyes are unbelievably heavy as sleep has continued to elude you. Your stomach growls with an intensity you’ve never heard, but you can only manage a few small crackers at a time.   
Everything makes you feel sick as you wonder where the fuck the love of your life is.  
Disturbing images of him flood your brain:  
Ryan’s body cold and decomposing in a ditch somewhere.   
Ryan in an alleyway, lost and pumped full of drugs.   
Ryan kidnapped and tortured.  
You stare at his contact information in your cell. The photo of the two of you stares you in the face, taunting you.   
You try him again.   
His phone is disconnected.  
You throw your phone across the room with all the force you can muster, despite your sad, weakened state.   
The phone shatters against the wall, breaking into a million tiny pieces, just like your heart.

——————————————————

A month passes.   
The LSPD has been less than helpful, having given up weeks ago, despite your countless phone calls and visits to the police station.   
_They’ve given up._   
The thought alone makes your heart seize up and causes you to feel nauseous, but… maybe it’s time you give up too.

——————————————————

One month turns into two. Two into three. Three into four.   
You find yourself losing track of time, falling into a routine that leaves you too numb and too tired to think or feel anything at all:  
Wake up.   
Barely stomach breakfast.   
12 hour shift at your dead end job.   
Come home.   
Barely stomach dinner.   
Go to bed.   
Sometimes you catch the news during dinner, your sad microwaved meal in your lap as you watch with tired eyes.   
A gang called The Fake AH Crew has been rampaging the city.   
You pray to whatever gods may be that Ryan never encountered them.

——————————————————

A year to the day has passed when you decide that you cannot sit around any more, wallowing in self pity about what you had lost.   
You didn’t want that for yourself, and Ryan definitely would not have wanted that for you.   
Impulsively, you call your workplace and quit. You would rather die than have them keep draining what little bit of life you have in you any longer.   
This impulsivity inspires you, bringing an overwhelming amount of energy that you haven’t felt in quite a long time.   
You decide to hit the town.

——————————————————

The best word to describe Los Santos, whether day or night, is lively. The airport is constantly busy, people walking in and out the doors, families and tourists and businesspeople alike. The streets are always bustling with cars, buses, taxis, trains and trolleys passing through frequently. People litter the city sidewalks, shopping and dining and enjoying all the city has to offer. Storefronts line the sidewalks throughout most of the town, always full of people and always busy.   
It’s overwhelming and exciting, and the minute you step out of your apartment complex, your senses are overwhelmed. The years you have spent in Los Santos has not dulled the city one bit.   
Granted, over the last year, you haven’t really taken any time to just _observe_ and _enjoy_ the city the way you used to.   
You take your time wandering in and out of stores all the way down the strip, antique stores and thrift stores and overpriced coffee shops calling your name.   
You might not have the money to do any real shopping, but just browsing through stores is enough for you. Anything to keep your mind occupied.  
After getting yourself a small breakfast, you start down the road, noticing a video game store across the street, attached to a store that advertised fancy cameras in the window. You decide to head that way, video games in particular piquing your interest. In the last year, you haven’t really had any desire to keep up with any new releases, your mind flooded with Ryan and Ryan only. It could be nice to catch up on what you’ve been missing.   
A bell dings above your head as you enter the store, but the man at the counter doesn’t seem to notice - too busy yelling at another man standing a few feet away from him.   
“I never should have agreed to opening a store with you,” The man sighs, hands on his head. He doesn’t seem to be angry, per se, just exasperated.  
“Michael!” The other man gasps, thick British accent catching your ear, “You don’t mean that!”  
“Oh, I mean it, Gavin, with my entire fucking being.”  
The man that you gather to be Michael turns his head and catches your eye, and you look away quickly, hoping he didn’t notice you eavesdropping.   
“Oh, great, Gavin, you made me yell at you in front of a customer!”  
The other man, Gavin, stares wide-eyed with an annoyed look on his face.   
You wave your hand dismissively, polite smile on your face, “No, really, it’s totally fi-“  
“I didn’t _make_ you do anything!” Gavin yelps, arms crossed in front of him.   
“Shut the hell up,” Michael groans, turning his attention to you again, “Sorry about that, he’s insufferable. Can I help you with anything? You here for video games or a fancy shmancy camera?”  
You can’t help but smile at the pout on Gavin’s face, “Video games - just browsing really… Haven’t been keeping up with the latest releases.”  
Michael nods, strolling out from behind the counter, “Well, you came to the right place. New releases are on this shelf right here,” He pats a shelf right beside him, beckoning you over.   
“My personal favorite this year is this one,” He points at a game with a dark cover, and you nod, looking it over.   
“I like _this_ one a lot!” Gavin squeaks behind you, causing you to jump a little. He mumbles out a quick apology and you giggle and shrug, telling him it’s okay. You follow his finger to a colorful cover and Michael rolls his eyes.   
“That one was so _stupid!_ ” Michael tells you, causing Gavin to pout again.   
You look over at Gavin, a playful yet sympathetic look on your face, “Is he _always_ this mean to you?”  
“Yes. Unbelievably so.” Gavin deadpans, and you laugh again, giving him a little pat on the shoulder before feeling a little awkward about it. After a year of barely any human interaction, you aren’t sure if that was too friendly for a stranger, but Gavin seems so personable and inviting that you don’t worry about it for too long.   
“I think I’m gonna take a look around,” You say, with a small smile, “Thank you for the suggestions!”  
They both nod, making their way back behind the counter to busy themselves.   
You spend a few minutes browsing games, new and old, before you’re suddenly hyper aware of their eyes on you.   
You glance in their direction, watching them whisper to each other, each of them looking at you every few seconds.   
You move toward the section of the store with all the cameras and recording tech, pretending to be interested while you eavesdrop.   
“I swear to Christ, Gavin, that’s her.”  
“You’re having a laugh, is it really?”  
You whip your head in their direction, “Excuse me? I’m who?”  
They both go wide-eyed as though they’ve been caught in the act.   
“Michael swears he saw you in a bar a few weeks ago. Bloody love at first sight.” Gavin answers, almost too quickly.   
Michael’s eyes get even wider and he smacks Gavin on the chest, hard.   
You laugh at his expression and shake your head, light blush on your cheeks. “Couldn’t have been me. I haven’t been out in quite a while.”  
Your face falls as soon as you mention it, and try as you might to shake it off quickly, Gavin notices and immediately launches a question at you. It’s just a simple “Why not?” but it hits you right in the heart and you can’t help but be honest with him, the next sentence spilling out of your mouth before you could even register it.   
“My boyfriend went missing a year ago. Haven’t really been the same since.”  
Both of them have looks on their faces that you can’t quite place, and you shrug at them, not wanting them to pity you.   
“It’s okay,” You murmur, “I’ve come to terms with it.”  
You’re not sure who you’re trying to convince more: them, or yourself.  
They look at each other, the air thick and awkward around the three of you.   
“Well,” You clear your throat, making your way to the door, “Thank you for letting me browse. And for the suggestions. I hope you guys have a good rest of your day!”  
You open up the door to leave, but at the last second, you turn around.   
“Oh, and Michael?” You start, a teasing smile on your face.   
Michael looks up at you, nervous about what you are going to say next.   
“Be nice to Gavin for me.”  
He looks almost relieved and waves his hand dismissively at you, but smiles anyway.

——————————————————

You aren’t sure where to stop next, too many options and not a ton of time nor energy.   
You really consider just going back home, the ordeal at Gavin and Michael’s store enough to dampen your spirits.  
 _Ryan wouldn’t want that for you_ , a voice in your head reminds you, _He would want you to enjoy the day._   
It’s enough for you to keep going.

Nestled between a coffee shop and a music store is a small, friendly-looking bookstore. It almost seems to be calling your name. Just seeing the bookstore is enough to reignite the want to escape into a world of fiction. You haven’t had any time to read at all either, something you suddenly missed desperately.   
It’s quiet in the store, almost serene, the signature scent of books hitting you right in the face, as if someone is pumping the smell through the vents.   
There’s an entire world of possibilities in front of you, shelves upon shelves of them, and you can’t wait to explore.   
You marvel at it all, running your finger along the spines of the books, taking in every title. There are so many choices to look through, so many books that you pick up and put back down, searching for the perfect book to begin with.   
You finally find one that strikes your fancy, your eyes never leaving the first page as you stroll towards a chair, secluded in a corner. Your nose is still in the book as you take a seat, making yourself comfortable as you delve into the story before you.  
You don’t look up again, not noticing people coming and going, engrossed in the twists and turns of the book. You completely lose yourself in it, transported to a new reality as you live out the story in your head.   
You’re already halfway through the book before you hear someone clear their throat, ripping you from the fantasy world. You snap your head up, a tad startled as you’ve lost track of time.   
“Enjoying the book, I see.” A man says, arms crossed as he looks down at you.  
You smile sheepishly, a small blush creeping onto your face. “Sorry,” you close the book on your finger, marking your place as you lower it into your lap, “Guess I got a little more involved than I intended to.”  
The man shakes his head, a smile of admiration under his handlebar mustache. “No need to apologize, that’s what this shop is for. Book lovers. And I know a fellow book lover when I see one.”  
You give him a genuine smile as you look down at the book you had been reading, “Have you read this one? It’s amazing.”  
“Fuck yeah it is! It’s one of my favorites. That’s why I didn’t stop you sooner.” He beams, uncrossing his heavily tattooed arms to stick his hands in his pockets.   
“It must be amazing to be surrounded by good books all day,” You sigh, looking at the shelves that surrounded the two of you, “Have you read all the books here?”  
Immediately you feel like it’s a stupid question, there are so many books here, there’s no way that he-  
“Oh, absolutely. Every book here is one hundred percent Geoff approved! I only sell the best of the best - in my opinion, of course.”  
It was an interesting decision, but if Geoff had liked the book you were reading, you trusted his judgement.   
“And you’re totally right, it is amazing to be surrounded by books all day. Truly my dream job.”  
“Are you hiring?” The question flies out of your mouth before you realize you were even thinking about it, shocking yourself.   
Geoff raises his eyebrows, pondering your question. “I run this place by myself,” He started, and you try to keep your disappointment inside instead of on your face, “But I wouldn’t mind some company, especially from someone who seems to like reading as much as I do. Why the fuck not?”  
Your eyebrows are raised now, a wide smile forming, “Wait, really? Just like that?”  
“Just like that.”  
“What if I was just hustling you and tried to rob you as soon as I was hired?”  
“I’ll take my chances. Not sure you’d be too pleased with what you’d end up with.”  
You cock your head at that. If he isn’t making enough money every day, how is he going to be able to pay you?  
“Don’t worry about the pay,” He says, as if reading your mind, “It won’t be a problem.”  
That doesn’t make sense.  
“Geoff, are you- are you sure?”  
Geoff just gives a wave of his hand, a “pshhh” leaving his lips as he nods. “We’ll figure it out. Just be here in the morning, so I can show you the ropes.”  
You don’t question him again, deciding to trust him until you had a reason not to.   
“Okay, sure, awesome,” You grin, reaching out to shake his hand, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”   
“Great,” Geoff smiles, giving your hand a firm shake, before helping you out of the chair, “Also, by the way, what’s your name? I think I should probably know that.”  
You let out a chuckle, “Oh, duh. My name is (Y/N).”  
“Alright, (Y/N), I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”  
You can’t stop smiling as you start to leave, before realizing you still have the book in your hand.   
“Oh, Geoff, can you put this back for me? I’m sorry, I can’t seem to remember where I got it.”  
Geoff gives you a kind smile.   
“Keep it.”


	2. it’s kind of a funny story

“Morning, Geoff!”

Geoff leans against the counter, nose deep in a book he’s been working on for a few days. He holds a finger up, eyes scanning the page a little further, before looking up at you.  
You roll your eyes with a smile, moving to the counter to set down a couple boxes and the drink carrier in your hands.  
“I got donuts and coffee,” You tell him, taking the drinks out of the carrier.  
“But donuts aren’t ke-“  
It’s your turn to hold a finger up, effectively silencing him.  
“These bad boys are keto, and they’re delicious, so eat up.”  
Geoff raises his eyebrows, staring at the box suspiciously, “Where the hell did you find keto donuts?”  
“I didn’t,” You smirk, taking a small sip of your iced coffee, “I made them.”  
“You made keto donuts… for _me_?” Geoff looks amazed, appreciative smile playing under his mustache.  
“Hell yeah,” You beam, “You mentioned a few weeks ago that you’ve missed donuts since you started keto, and I thought I’d make you some… as a thank you, for being a great boss.”  
Geoff opens his mouth to say something, but a female voice cuts him off, “That is so unbelievably sweet, (Y/N).”  
You look in the direction of the voice, seeing Jack making her way to the front of the store. There’s a small pile of books in her hands and you move quickly to relieve her of them.  
“There’s my beautiful wife,” Geoff’s smile is wide as Jack sidles up to him, kissing his cheek. He wraps his arm around her shoulders, practically heart-eyed.  
“Good morning Jack,” You greet her, setting the books down on the far end of the countertop, “You look lovely, as always.”  
Jack’s smile grows even wider as she smooths down her tropical button up. “Thank you,” She says, before looking over at Geoff, “Are you free for lunch today?”  
“I can cover for you,” You speak up, “No big deal.”  
“I want you to come too,” Jack smiles softly, “Our treat. I wanna get to know Geoff’s favorite employee.”  
“I’m his only employee.” You remind her, with a teasing smile.  
“Details,” Jack waves her hand dismissively, letting out a short chuckle.  
“Sounds good, babe,” Geoff nods, squeezing Jack’s shoulder softly. “We’ll see you for lunch. Jeremy’s?”  
“Jeremy’s.” Jack agrees, giving Geoff a swift kiss on the lips before making her way out from behind the counter. She pats you on the shoulder as she heads to the door, but not before grabbing a donut out of the box and taking a bite.  
“Holy shit,” Jack murmurs, mouth full. “These are delicious.”  
“Thanks!”  
Jack shoots Geoff a look as she opens the door, the bell dinging above her head.  
“Seriously, these are crazy good… Keep her.”  
Geoff just laughs at his wife, “I plan on it.”

——————————————————

You have always heard amazing things about Jeremy’s Bar and Grill, an insanely popular restaurant in downtown Los Santos, full of people at any time of the day.  
Much to your surprise, Geoff finds a parking spot right in front of the restaurant.  
“Impressive,” You murmur, “Got here at exactly the right time.”  
“Nothing impressive about it,” Geoff smirks, killing the engine, “I’m a friend of the owner.”  
“Even more impressive,” You smirk right back, “Special privilege.”  
Geoff chuckles as you both climb out of his car, the car beeping as Geoff locks it.  
The minute you step into the restaurant, you can tell why people praise it.  
The first thing you notice is just how _good_ it smells in there. The scent of fresh baked bread and sizzling steaks dances under your nose, enticing you immediately. It beckons you to come in and gorge yourself on all the delicious food.  
It’s beautifully decorated, opulent as all hell, quite the opposite of what you would normally expect from a bar and grill. The people there are well-dressed, causing you to feel a little self-conscious about your own attire, just a ratty t-shirt and jeans.  
Geoff notices your change in demeanor as you look around. He leans over to you, tearing you from your thoughts, “It’s really not as pretentious as it looks.” He murmurs, soft smile playing under his mustache.  
That makes you feel a little better. Geoff is also dressed pretty casually, and since he seems to have such high standing with the owner, it seems to be okay that you aren’t dressed as nicely as the others.  
Neither is Jack, you notice, who is still clad in her bright tropical shirt and khaki shorts, her typical attire. It’s a choice you really admire, always impressed by how she rocks such a cute, tourist-y look that really suits her.  
She waves you both over, scooting over in her side of the booth to invite you to sit beside her. She instantly wraps you up in a bear hug that makes you feel warm from head to toe and you smile at the almost motherly feel that she radiates.  
Geoff sits down in his side of the booth, reaching out for Jack’s hand, kissing her knuckles.  
“How’s everybody doing?” Jack asks, smiling between the two of you.  
“Doing well,” Geoff nods, with a kind smile, “Work’s been slow. But it usually is.”  
Jack looks to you for your answer.  
“Geoff pretty much said it all,” You answer, twiddling your thumbs a little, “I don’t really have much else going on.”  
Jack opens her mouth to say something, but is interrupted by two men strolling up to the table.  
“Looks like we all had the same idea. Mind if we join you?”  
You look up and see Michael from the video game store, Gavin trailing close behind him.  
“You all know each other?” You ask, looking between the four of them.  
“You know Michael and Gavin?” Geoff responds, quirking an eyebrow.  
“We had a brief moment where Gavin told me I was the love of Michael’s life or something, so, I guess so,” You take the chance to tease Michael for the odd encounter.  
Michael rolls his eyes, “Alright, that is not what happened, I just thought you were a cute girl from a bar, okay?”  
“You think she’s cute?” Jack joins in on the teasing and Michael’s face turns red.  
“Shut the fuck up, Jack,” He frowns, moving to drag another table toward yours.  
“It’s okay, Michael, I’m flattered, really.” You grin mischievously, earning a laugh from everyone but Michael.  
“I hate _all_ of you,” Michael grumbles, moving some chairs over to the table as well. He goes to sit down beside Geoff and Gavin races to beat him to it, earning himself a good laugh as well.  
“You can sit by me,” You smile, patting the chair he set beside you, “Just don’t try to put any moves on me.”  
Michael is so flustered at this point that he just lets out a long, loud groan as he sits down beside you, keeping as much distance as possible.

——————————————————

The group makes idle chit chat while you sit and take it all in.  
They are all much closer than you expected. They share inside jokes and tell you funny stories that make you laugh so hard that you almost cry.  
“...and then Ryan called me a bloody idiot!” Gavn finishes his story.  
The name makes you stiffen, subconsciously curling into yourself. Jack and Geoff shoot Gavin a look that you don’t notice, and Michael claps Gavin on the back, harder than such a friendly gesture would normally be.  
“That’s because you _are_ a bloody idiot.” Michael says, trying to sound like he’s teasing, but there’s a venomous undertone.  
You aren’t really paying attention, trying to slow your breathing as you feel tears prickling at the corners of your eyes. You haven’t thought much about Ryan in quite some time, thinking you had found peace about him being gone, but hearing his name just… makes it all come flooding back.  
Jack gently slides her arm around your shoulders, nudging you a little to get your attention. “Are you okay?”  
The rest of the table is silent, awkward tension taking up space in the air around all of you.  
“I’m okay, um,” You wipe at the tears threatening to fall and sniffle a little, “Ryan is - was - my boyfriend’s name. He’s been missing for about a year and a half now.”  
Nobody moves.  
“I thought I was… _okay_ with it, but… hearing his name just… I don’t know.” It’s hard for you to form any coherent thoughts with your mind racing a million miles a minute.  
It’s quiet for a few seconds, nobody is quite sure how to proceed here.  
“Tell us about him,” Gavin murmurs, surprising everyone.  
You wave your hand, trying to shake off the sadness, “That’s okay, Gav. I don’t want to bore everyone with my sob story.”  
“I think,” Geoff begins to speak up, leaning forward to reach for your hand across the table, placing his own hand over it, “I think Gav’s right. Maybe it would help to talk about him.”  
“O-Okay, um,” You give Geoff a sad smile, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, “I’m not sure where to start.”  
“Start from the beginning,” Jack nudges you again, encouragingly, soft smile on her face.  
“Alright, well,” You begin, already smiling at the fond memory, “Ryan and I met when I was in college…”

 _You were late. So unbelievably late._  
_You were starting a big project that day, and you could just feel in your bones that your professor was going to have your head for being late._  
_It didn’t help that you didn’t have a car, having to make your way across a giant campus on foot._  
_You were running down the sidewalk, trying to carry all your things while focusing on not tripping. You were so in your head that you didn’t realize you had run right into the middle of a crosswalk until you heard a car skid to a stop mere inches from your side._  
_“Fuck!” You cried out, clutching your chest as you stopped abruptly. You turned to the car, seeing a man crane his head out the window. “I’m so sorry! I’m running so late and didn’t even see you, I’m so sorry!”_  
_“Where are you rushing off to?” The man’s voice was kind and concerned, an equally kind and concerned smile on his face._  
_“Art class! Sorry, I don’t have time to talk!” You turned to keep running but stopped short again as he spoke._  
_“Mr. Williams, room 227?”_  
_You quirked an eyebrow suspiciously, “Yes…”_  
_“I’m actually also late for that class, hop in.”_  
_“How do I know you’re not some scary murderer?”_  
_The man laughed at that, “Do I look like some scary murderer?”_  
_“Looks can be deceiving.”_  
_“You make a good point.” He grinned, “How do I know you aren’t some scary murderer?”_  
_“Good points all around,” You huffed, “Guess we’ll take our chances!”_  
_You ran up to his car and hopped into his passenger seat, maybe against your better judgment, but at that point, you’d do almost anything to avoid your professor’s wrath._

“So you just straight up got into a stranger’s car to keep from getting in _trouble_?” Gavin laughs.  
“Listen,” You point a finger at Gavin, laughing a little as well, “Mr. Williams was _terrifying._ You would have done the same.”

 _The ride to your class was short and fairly quiet, the two of you not really knowing what to talk about._  
_That gave you time to really observe the stranger._  
_He was obviously gorgeous, eyes so blue that you could use any cliché phrase to describe them and it still wouldn’t do them any justice. His sandy blonde hair flopped into his eyes every few minutes, causing him to tousle it back in one graceful, fluid movement. Every time his arms moved, you couldn’t help but follow the movement, admiring how strong they looked._  
_He would peek at you out of the corner of his eye as you watched him, but didn’t say anything._  
_As he parked his car, he looked over at you with a smile._  
_“I’m Ryan.”_  
_You returned his smile and stretched out your hand to him, which he grasped in a firm handshake._  
_“I’m (Y/N),” You told him, shaking his hand, “Good handshake. I like a man with a firm handshake.”_  
_The statement fell from your lips before you could think about it._  
_“That’s awfully forward of you,” Ryan teased, and you rolled your eyes at him._  
_“Anyway,” You cleared your throat, unbuckling your seat belt, “Thank you for the ride. I appreciate it. See you in class?”_  
_“Actually…” Ryan spoke up, before you could get out of the car, “I don’t really know where I’m going. Would you mind… walking me to class?”_  
_“Do you want me to carry your books too?” You teased, but nodded that you would show him where to go._  
_“I was actually going to ask if I could carry yours.”_  
_Ryan’s smile was genuine as he reached for your things._  
_“Oh, that’s so nice, thank you,” You smiled back, passing him your mountain of books and supplies._  
_“You know, you should really invest in a backpack.”_  
_You only shrugged and made a face as you got out of the car, Ryan laughing and following close behind._  
_When you opened the door to the classroom, all the heads in the room turned toward the two of you._  
_“Nice of you two to join us,” Mr. Williams sneered from the front of the class, “And good, it looks like you’ve already met. (Y/N), Mr. Haywood will be your model for today.”_  
_Your eyes widened as you turned to look at Ryan. He looked calm and collected, like it was no big deal, but it was to you._  
_You were going to have to sketch this handsome stranger you just met…_  
_…nude._

Michael nearly chokes on his drink, soda dribbling down his chin, “Ryan was a nude model?”  
“He sure was.”

 _A smirk appeared on Ryan’s face as he looked at you._  
_“You know, I don’t normally get naked on the first date.”_  
_You rolled your eyes, “Now who’s being forward?”_  
_Ryan just leaned down and bumped you with his shoulder, earning himself a small smile from you, one you couldn’t help._  
_“You both will be in studio C. Everyone take your partners to your designated studios and get busy.”_  
_Ryan looked at you expectantly, so you cocked your head in the direction of the door, leading him to the studio._  
_“So, I guess, um,” You held the door open for him, taking your things from him, “Just get comfortable, I suppose.”_  
_You didn’t look at him again as he started to disrobe, deciding to set up instead. It was already awkward enough._  
_Ryan stepped up onto the raised platform on the floor, craning to peek over your easel. “How do you want me?” He smirked._  
_“Ryan, do not flirt with me right now, I swear,” You pointed your pencil at him, a playful scowl on your face._  
_“It was just a simple question.” Ryan held his hands up, letting out a quiet chuckle._  
_“Pose however you want, I’m comfortable with whatever.”_  
_“How about a Superman pose?” Ryan suggested, a teasing tone to his voice as he puffed out his chest, putting both hands on his hips._  
_You looked at him for the first time over your easel._  
_There was a giant grin on his face, as if he was taunting you. You let yourself move your gaze a little lower, down his neck and to his bare chest. He looked like he was sculpted by the Gods, who you were cursing at that exact moment._  
_Your gaze moved a little further down, and -_

“Okay, we don’t need any more details,” Geoff clears his throat, getting a laugh from the table.  
“I might need a few more,” Gavin teases, and you crumple up your napkin and throw it at him, bouncing it off his nose.  
“What happened next?” Jack prods, her hands under her chin as she looks up at you expectantly.  
“It went surprisingly smoothly, and he asked me out for coffee afterwards. We’d been together ever since.”  
“That’s so cute,” Jack sighs, almost heart-eyed.  
“He always said it would be a great story to tell our kids,” You murmur, and instead of feeling sad about it, you find yourself laughing.  
“Anyway,” You clear your throat, smiling softly at the group, “Thanks for letting me tell you that story. It’s nice to know that if he can’t be here, I can still share his memory with such good friends.”  
Everyone smiles at you in return, and Jack pats your hand gently.  
“Everything going okay over here?” You hear another voice coming from beside the table, and when you look up, you see none other than Jeremy himself, the owner of the restaurant.  
“Hey, Lil’ J!” Gavin squeaks excitedly, beaming up at him.  
“Everything’s great, man,” Geoff nods, “Food was delicious. But, then again, it always is.”  
Geoff gestures over to you and you smile over at Jeremy.  
“Jeremy, this is my favorite employee, (Y/N).”  
Jeremy finally looks at you and grins, “She’s your only employee.”  
“That’s what I said,” You laugh, reaching over Michael to shake Jeremy’s hand, “It’s nice to meet you.”  
“Nice to meet you, finally,” Jeremy nods, shaking your hand eagerly, “I’ve heard great things.”  
“I could say the same about you, more specifically this restaurant. The food is phenomenal. You really live up to the hype.”  
Jeremy looks prideful as he places a hand over his heart. “Thank you, I appreciate that.”  
“You deserve it.”  
“Anyway, Lil’ J, (Y/N) and I need to get back to work, as I’m sure these assholes,” Geoff gestures to the rest of the table, but stops short when he sees the look on Jack’s face, “And my beautiful wife have to get back too.”  
“Not a problem, Geoff,” Jeremy waves his hand, “I’ll see you guys later. Again, nice to meet you, (Y/N)!”  
You wave at him and say the same as everyone starts piling out of the booth. A hand on your shoulder stops you as you almost make it to the door.  
You’re met with Gavin’s smiling face, a piece of paper in his hand. He shoves it toward you.  
“What’s this?”  
“That’s my phone number, if you need a friend…” He smiles sheepishly, “Um, Geoff mentioned how you don’t really know a lot of people here… and I have this really cool girlfriend I think you would like and we all get together and play video games and stuff and…” He trails off as he realizes he’s rambling.  
Your heart swells at the kind gesture. “Thank you, Gav, that’s really nice.”  
Gavin just nods and smiles, patting you on the back as he races past you to catch up with Michael, who is threatening to “leave his scrawny ass on the sidewalk” if he doesn’t hurry up.  
You smile fondly at the piece of paper in your hand and pocket it, making a note to text him later.

——————————————————

When Geoff pulls up to the bookstore, there’s a new, giant poster posted in the center of the window.  
_Los Santos’ 35th Annual Block Party,_ it reads, _ALL DAY SATURDAY in DOWNTOWN LOS SANTOS._  
“I totally forgot about the block party,” You tell Geoff. You went every year with Ryan since moving to Los Santos, but you hadn’t made it to the last one, for obvious reasons, and it completely slipped your mind.  
“Should be a good one,” Geoff murmurs, absentmindedly, “Busy day for everybody, but we usually close.”  
“Oh really? Why is that? I’m sure that would bring a ton of business in,” You think out loud, and Geoff shrugs.  
“I like to enjoy that day with Jack and the Lads.” He says, a small smile on his face.  
“Well, I can cover that day, it’s no big deal,” You find yourself repeating your statement from earlier. “I don’t have anything to do that day.”  
Geoff sputters a little, “You work too hard, you know that? You should go enjoy the day too, you get your paycheck Thursday, just go and shop and enjoy the block party.”  
You think about it for a second. It would be nice to go out and experience the block party again. It used to be your favorite time of the year. And Geoff does pay you pretty handsomely, too handsomely than he can afford in your opinion, but he always brushes it off when you bring it up. You could get some good shopping in.  
“Just be sure to go to the bank on Friday, not Saturday. They get pretty crazy during the block party.”  
You nod, and even though you feel like you know what he means, you’ll soon discover just how wrong you are.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i started thinking about ryan as a model and then the idea of ryan as a nude model came to me as i was figuring out ryan and the reader’s origin story and i couldn’t resist. hope y’all enjoyed. it’s about to get... interesting. (; <3


	3. just a quick update - i will delete later!

hey y’all! i just wanted to say that i have not abandoned this fic at all, i’m working hard to get another chapter out to y’all and i want to make sure it’s perfect.

thank you all for reading and for your patience 💕


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